


And in the end, it is about you.

by cutebutpsyco



Series: Ironstrange Bingo 2019 Fills [9]
Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Character Study, Christine Palmer is a good bro, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Guilt, Hurt Stephen Strange, IronStrange Bingo 2019, M/M, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-04
Updated: 2019-04-04
Packaged: 2020-01-04 22:17:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18352808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cutebutpsyco/pseuds/cutebutpsyco
Summary: IRONSTRANGE BINGO. FILL: THE ANCIENT ONE ||“You are allowed not to be,” Christine replied, and it was clear that he was done with his shit. That was the reason why Stephen didn’t want to let her go, that was the reason why he loved her so much. Keeping her in his life was the last selfish choice he made, and he wasn’t regretting that.





	And in the end, it is about you.

**Author's Note:**

> This is short and kind of weird but that Ancient One square in the bingo card inspired me two very different ideas. I went with the most angst-ish one, of course, but I hope you'll like this nonetheless. 
> 
> I wanted to write something in the notes and in the tag, but I don't remember what it was, so, yup, I'll edit this in case it comes back to my mind.
> 
> As always, nothing belongs to me and this isn't betad.

_It’s not about you,_ Stephen knew that. He knew it now, he understood that it wasn’t about him, not just that mundane life that he was used to living when he still was a surgeon but also the life that he chose for himself. It wasn’t about him. It was about the good of the people that lived on the Earth and the people in the multiverse that asked for his protection. 

It wasn’t about him, but it was about Tony. He saw it in the only future in which they won against Thanos and while he didn’t like to fish in the possibilities that different futures had to offer them, he saw that he was about Tony, every time. 

And he couldn’t help to fall for the man, even if it was selfish. It wasn’t about Stephen, but, somehow, it ended up to be because he simply couldn’t pretend that he was a changed man. He wasn’t, he would have never been. 

His hands were shaking worse than ever while he looked at the reporter on the TV screen speaking about the incoming guests that were walking into the MET. It wasn’t about Stephen, and even if Tony invited him, even if they shared kisses and sweet words when Stephen came back from the Soul DImension, he knew it wasn’t his place.

There was so much he wanted to say, but it wasn’t about him. It wasn’t about his feelings, it wasn’t about his wishes. A soft hand came to rest against his and Stephen couldn’t help but blink, looking at Christine’s soft smile. He didn’t even know how she could understand him so well even after all those years. After how he treated her. But she did, better than anyone else. 

“Stephen,” She said, her voice barely audible in the silence of the Sanctum broken yet again by the journalist's voice when Sam and Sharon Carter got out of the car in the screen. He was keeping the thing on just because he wanted to see Wong’s arrival, but the truth was that he knew that he deserved to see it. Because Tony was happy, without him, and because what happened after the defeat of the Mad Titan had been something selfish. 

Tony was engaged, and Stephen gave up so much for him. It wasn’t about Stephen. Probably the Ancient One saw that when she looked into his future. She said she couldn’t see past the point on the balcony when she looked in hers, but also let him know that she knew what was waiting for Stephen. _It’s not about you,_ Meant that he had to break his promise yet another time because it was the only way to defeat Thanos, it meant that he couldn’t spend time being in love with someone. The universe needed him. It wasn’t about what he wanted and needed from the universe. 

“I’m fine,” He said, but he sounded empty even to his own ears. 

“You are allowed not to be,” Christine replied, and it was clear that he was done with his shit. That was the reason why Stephen didn’t want to let her go, that was the reason why he loved her so much. Keeping her in his life was the last selfish choice he made, and he wasn’t regretting that. 

“Am I, though?” He asked, a soft and bitter smile on his lips. He knew that the words the Ancient One said to him were true, but he couldn’t help that thinking about the people he killed because it wasn’t about him. Half of the universe dissolved into dust because of that sentence and both who died in the Snap and who had to cope with that loss and the ones indirectly caused by it had to face different shades of trauma. And all of them knew it was because of Stephen.  
Because if Thanos got all the six Stones and Strange was alive, it meant he gave the Titan the Time Stone. 

_“We are having, right now, a first glance of the groom and his best man. Apparently Tony Stark overdid for this special occasion,” The journalist said and both Stephen and Christine rose their eyes on the screen._

“What, I thought Rhodey was Tony’s best-man,” Stephen said, and it was easier to think about that instead of looking at the man, perfect in his three pieces by Happy’s side. Christine said nothing, her hazel eyes fixed on the screen. 

“You are strong and powerful,” She continued as if he didn’t speak at all. “You won’t be less than a Sorcerer if you admit you have feelings.”

“It’s not about how I feel,” He answered.

“Bulshit!” Christine looked at him, letting her head fall against his shoulder. “I know you believe that nothing is about you, and considering that when I met you everything was about Dr Stephen Vincent Strange, I’d consider this an improvement,” She smiled. “But I don’t because, right now, it is about you. It won’t change a thing, so you can speak, with me.”

Stephen nodded, and told her everything. There wasn’t so much that he kept secret to her, so their conversations were mostly about getting things out, or being more detailed about certain missions he had in other dimensions. And by the time he told her about Tony Stark, the wedding had already started on the screen. 

_“Harold Joseph Hogan,” the celebrant said, and that silenced completely the Sorcerer. “Repeat after me: I take Virginia Potts as my wife and I swear to love and respect her, in the good and in the bad times, in richness and in poorness, from this day until the last of my days.”_

The man repeated the words and while Pepper’s voice reached the Sanctum Stephen couldn’t quite believe in what he just heard. He turned to look at Christine. “Did you knew about this?”

“No, it’s the first ti -” She answered, just to be interrupted by Highway to Hell from her best friend's mobile. She didn’t need to look at the screen to know Tony was the one who was calling. 

“Sorry,” He said, taking the phone. She nodded and smiled at the Sorcerer. It wasn’t the first time she heard Stephen speaking about what his mentor told him. She was sure that the Ancient One meant no harm, it was just Strange being, well, himself, but, maybe, for once, it could be about him. He deserved that. And from what she knew about Tony, he deserved Stephen, too. 

Yes, maybe she knew that pepper called the engagement off with Stark the moment he came back from space and started to date her ex’s bodyguard, but it was just because she heard the voice at the hospital. And she wasn't going to give vain hopes to Stephen until that was sure. Pepper married to Happy and Tony calling him the moment the wedding was over was enough of a confirmation.

**Author's Note:**

> kudos and comments are the air I breathe and the reason why I write, so make ur girl happy.
> 
>  **wanna say 'hi'? do you have a prompt for me?** find me on [tumblr](https://ironstrange-is-the-endgame.tumblr.com/).  
> find my entire ironstrange bingo card on [dreamwidth](https://myrcellabaratheon.dreamwidth.org/3827.html) and [pillowfort](https://www.pillowfort.io/posts/511160).  
> 


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